This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[39982]
C. O.
33132 RECE
[October 1.]
REGY 21 OCT 12
SECTION 1.
No. 1.
Foreign Office to Messrs. E. D. and Messrs. David Sassoon and to,
Gentlemen,
Foreign Office, October 1, 1912, I HAVE laid before Secretary Sir E. Grey your letter of the 23rd ultimo, giving the text of three messages received by you from China reporting further instances of interference by the Chinese authorities with the opium trade.
His Majesty's Minister at Peking reported to this Department by telegraph the destruction of Indian opium at Anking by the authorities of the province of Anhui, and it has now been decided to dispatch His Majesty's consul-general at Shanghai in a war- ship to enquire into the occurrence on the spot. On the receipt of his question of taking further action will be considered.
report
the
Sir E. Grey has also been in telegraphic correspondence with Sir J. Jordan regarding the Bill introduced into the National Council providing for the entire suppression of the opium traffic. Sir J. Jordan states that the Bill in question originally proposed the total suppression of the planting and smoking of opium in China by the end of 1912. It was referred to a committee, whose report was read in the National Council on the 2nd ultimo.
A discussion followed, and the date for the total suppression was postponed till the end of 1913. The Bill, however, was not passed but referred back to committee for revision, and will be discussed again by the National Council later.
As regards the reported intention of the Canton authorities to refuse to renew smokers' licences after December next, Sir E. Grey has received no information from His Majesty's Minister, but a copy of your letter has been forwarded to him with a request for a report upon the matter.
I have, &c.
[2660 a-1]
W. LANGLEY.
183